This invention relates to an improved blown plastic container formed with an easily removable, integrally formed cap.
May various different types of blown containers presently areavailable, however, most of them are hermetically sealed by means of an enclosure or cap which is removed by severing it with a knife or the like. Still others have threads integrally formed on a neck portion thereof, and a separate cap is provided for closing or sealing the bottle by threading the cap onto the threaded neck portion. All of these prior arrangements are satisfactory, for one purpose or another. Recently, however, a demand for bottles having integrally formed caps for sealing the bottles has occurred. In another words, a demand for a bottle which can be blown, filled and hermetically sealed with an enclosure of a type which can be easily removed. The improved container of the present invention satisfy this demand.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide new and improved containers which are blown, filled and are hermetically sealed having an easily removable, integrally formed cap.
In some cases, it is desirable to form these containers of a substantially strong plastic material which cannot be easily severed to remove the caps integrally formed therewith. Accordingly, still another object is to provide an improved container whereby such caps can be easily removed.
The above objectives are accomplished with the thermoplastic container of the present invention which is blown, filled and hermetically sealed in a single forming and filling operation. The removable cap integrally formed therewith normally hermetically seals the container and has a peripheral side wall, a horizontal flange portion which merges with the neck portion an an annular groove which is formed in the horizontal flange portion and provides a weakened severing line for removing the cap. A pull tab having a narrow in width, vertically disposed tab flange is integrally connected with the horizontally extending flange portion and has means for gripping the pull tab to pivotally manipulate the pull tab outwardly from the container. The pull tab on being pivotally manipulated causes the horizontally extending flange portion to sever at the annular groove, thereby permitting the cap to be removed from the container.
In accordance with the second embodiment of the invention, a second annular groove is formed in the horizontally extending flange portion in space relationship from the first annular groove. Both of the annular grooves provide weakened severing lines for removing the cap. The pull tab on being pivotally manipulated causes the horizontally flange portion to sever at each of the first and second annular grooves to provide an annular web therebetween which is severed from the horizontally extending flange portion, thereby permitting the cap to be removed from the container.
In the case of the container disclosed in the second embodiment of the invention, it is also preferred to provide a groove extending between the first and second annular grooves to provide a weakened severing line therebetween. The groove upon being severed when the pull tab is pivotally manipulated permits the pull tab to be pulled to sever the annular web in an annular fashion about the cap to permit the cap to be removed from the container.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.